The Wire

News and dispatches from the world of all-you-can-eat dining.

October 7, 2026

Sago Hotpot Buffet Plans a 5,700-Square-Foot Restaurant in Columbia, MO

A West Broadway build-out and mid-August hiring campaign put the future buffet on the local development calendar.

Sago Hotpot Buffet is planned for Columbia’s Crossroads Shopping Center, with a 5,700-square-foot tenant build-out and hiring for kitchen and dining-room staff. September reporting still described it as coming soon; a menu and opening date remain unannounced.

October 7, 2026

Jack-tober Fest Adds Seasonal AYCE Supper at Lumberjack Feud in Pigeon Forge, TN

Smoked bratwurst joins pork, cheddar biscuits, and apple cobbler through October 31.

Jack-tober Fest brings smoked bratwurst to Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud’s all-you-can-eat supper through October 31. The seasonal meal shares the evening with a lumberjack show and stein-holding competition, with supper served before the performance.

October 7, 2026

Diamond Horseshoe in Lake Buena Vista, FL, Opens a Temporary Small-Plate Lounge

Sticky ribs and burnt-end queso arrive; the unlimited Thanksgiving-style meal continues next door at Liberty Tree Tavern.

The Diamond Horseshoe has opened a temporary lounge with ribs, burnt-end queso, corn fritters, and drinks. Its former all-you-care-to-enjoy Thanksgiving-style meal remains available next door at Liberty Tree Tavern, preserving a nearby home for seconds.

October 7, 2026

Imperial Buffet in Berlin, CT, Reported Closed as Former Space Is Marketed for Lease

A June report documented closure signs and leasing activity at the 8,045-square-foot Brickyard Plaza restaurant.

Imperial Buffet’s Berlin dining room was reported closed in June, with its former Brickyard Plaza space being marketed for lease. An exterior tax-permit notice accompanied the closure signs, but the report did not establish why the restaurant closed.

October 7, 2026

Crab Station in Canton, OH, Launches Website Alongside AYCE Birthday Offer

Online reservations and Admiral’s Club signup arrive as the restaurant advertises cake, candles, and a T-shirt.

Crab Station has announced a website for reservations, ordering, and Admiral’s Club signup. Its separate birthday package pairs an AYCE feast with cake, candles, a song, and a T-shirt, provided the celebration is booked at least a day ahead.

October 7, 2026

Closures Reported for Great American Buffet in Fredericksburg, VA, and Shoney’s in Oak Hill, WV

Oak Hill’s renovated restaurant ended its return just thirteen months after reopening, according to local reporting.

Fredericksburg lost Great American Buffet this summer, while Oak Hill’s Shoney’s reportedly closed thirteen months after its long-awaited reopening. One dining room’s departure leaves another Great American Buffet listed in Manassas; the other cuts short a renovated restaurant’s return.